The Scorpion and the Monk (Not a new mini-series)

I'm catching up on some letter writing I've been meaning to do. One of those letters is to the pastor of the UMC we visited in Little Rock (hey, better way late than feeling guilty I never wrote it). Part of her sermon included the story below. I'm not sure if I had heard it prior to then or not, but for some reason it just shouted at me that Sunday. Maybe it'll yell at you too:

Once upon a time, the great river had a huge flood. A large scorpion was trapped on the upper branches of a dead tree, and the waters were gradually rising over the tree and the scorpion seemed doomed. A monk was passing by the river; he witnessed the scene, and, grabbing on to a shrub at the edge of the path, reached over intending to pick up the scorpion and carry it to safety. The scorpion stung the monk. Still, the monk tried again and again—and each time he was stung. A little later, a passerby saw the monk, weak from venom, hand swollen, but nevertheless trying to rescue the insect. “Give it up old man”, the passerby shouted, “or you’ll both drown.” “Then so it will be”, the monk shouted back, “it is the scorpion’s nature to sting, but it is my nature to save.” Keep this in mind.

Stay blessed...john